Easy Apple Dip

So I went to a baby shower not too long ago and there were apples with homemade caramel dip. It was really good and I have no idea how they made it. So I was talking one of my friends and she was telling me about a homemade dip with cream cheese and brown sugar....I was intrigued as I love caramel dip and apples, so off to the Internet I went. Man there are tons of recipes out there for caramel dip, but I really wanted something simple and easy.....So here goes, this was super good and approved by all 3 of my girls! I suppose you could use less sugar and I may try that next time.....

Makes: Big Bowl Full

1 8oz pkg Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 C Brown Sugar, I always used the dark brown one

1/4 C Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

Mix Cream Cheese. Add in sugars and mix well. Stir in vanilla. Serve with you favorite apples, we like Granny's, Gala's and Fuji's......Store in the refrigerator.

Sausage Dip

So the fall for us brings "Snack Saturday".......We love to eat finger foods and snacks all day while enjoying College Football....This is one of our staples.....I will warn you it is not healthy but it sure is good....I suppose most food is like that....Anyway the best thing about this dip is it is so versatile, you can change the tomatoes and the chips to tortiall or crostini....to a totally mix it up.....

Makes: A bowl full!

1 lb Ground Hot Sausage

1 14.5-15oz can of Italian Style Tomatoes (Or like I said, any of your favorite)

1 8oz package of Cream Cheese

1 BIG Bag of Stacy's Pita Chips, Simply Naked Flavor (I buy a huge bag at Costco)

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, brown up the sausage and drain off the grease. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in cream cheese, reduce heat. Cook until melted completely and hot throughout. Serve with Pita Chips....

Nana's Cottage Cheese Cookies

We love sweets in our house and most anything with chocolate. These cookies are a family favorite. It does sound a bit strange with cottage cheese and I had never had anything like them growing up, but at first bite I fell in love with them. I bet its the Almond Extract that I love in them.....The only problem I find with them is getting them cooked but not over cooked....there is a fine line for that with this recipe....don't forget to allow time for the chill in the fridge.....

Makes: 2 Dozen

3/4 C Butter, softened

1 3/4 C Sugar

1 T Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 C Cottage Cheese

1/2 T Vanilla Extract

1/2 T Almond Extract

1/2 C Unsweetened Cocoa

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

2 3/4 C Flour

Powdered Sugar, for dusting cookies

Mix sugars and butter. Add eggs, extracts and cottage cheese. Beat until blended. Add all dry ingredients and mix well. Chill dough in the fridge for 1 hour then roll dough balls about size of a whole walnut. Then roll in powdered sugar. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 min. I bake mine on parchment paper. Enjoy!

My Dad's Meatballs

So my dad is an awesome cook.....I grew up eating some amazingly good food. His mom was French and that might just say it all and I believe I get my passion for cooking from him and her.....I still have cravings for those childhood favorites...."Can I get some Honey with my Dinner Roll".....But getting recipes to paper from my dad isn't always easy....and here is why, he is a natural.....he just knows the right amounts and goes with it....I too have become some what like that, I think all cooks are like that for the most part.....This is probably why I would rather cook then bake......Now why do I bring this all up now....'cause the recipe I am about to post has a few ingredients I have put the measurements as eyeball.....So good luck....These meatballs can be used in any recipe calling for them....we predominately use them in Spaghetti, my all time childhood favorite meal!.....But I have also used them in the Traditional Cocktail Meatball Recipe, you know the one with Jelly and Chile Sauce and they were great....This make a bunch, so I usually will bake them off and freeze them. Then you are all set for when you need them.....

Makes: A Hefty Amount

3 lbs Ground Beef

2 lbs Hot Sausage (Jimmy Dean or similar)

1/3-1/2 C Bread Crumbs

1/3-1/2 C Milk (equal to bread crumbs)

2 Eggs

Minced Onions, eyeball

Red Pepper Flakes, eyeball

Garlic Salt, eyeball

Salt & Pepper, eyeball

Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Roll out in to the meatball size of your liking. Bake for 18-20 min.

Poor Man's Mac & Cheese Bake

So my brother actually taught me this recipe while I was in college.....eventhough we LOVE Homemade Macaroni Cheese this recipe has become a pantry staple at our house.....Especially now that we have kids.....its super easy and tastes pretty good too.....Its versatile so feel free to create.....I suppose you could add some cheese on top or mix in a veggie......endless possibilities I tell you....

Serves 4-5

2 Boxes Mac n Cheese, prepared (the way you like, I use 2 T butter & 1/4 C Milk per box)

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 lb Ground Beef

Onion Powder, to taste

Garlic Salt, to taste

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mac n cheese to your liking. Meanwhile season and brown ground beef, with Onion Powder, Garlic Salt and Salt/Pepper. Drain the fat. Combine prepared Mac n Cheese, Cream of Mushroom Soup and Ground Beef. Mix Well. Pour into a casserole dish and bake in oven for 25-30 min, or until hot throughout. Enjoy!

Cheesy Creamy Crock-Pot Corn

So we love to eat at Rudy's 'Country Store' & BBQ especially after we go to SeaWorld. I must say they have the best cream corn, it is sooooo delicious and their BBQ is also super yummy if you are a Texas BBQ person and like lotsa Black Pepper & Heat....Anyway the cream corn inspired me to look around for good recipes....and I found a few that sounded good but just weren't exactly right, well.......I blended a few recipes and came up with this, its not traditional but it was big hit last night at dinner will all of us, including the kids.....Now the recipe calls for sugar and I must say I used super sweet corn and forgot to add the sugar......so if you are using really sweet corn you may not need the sugar.......Ok, so this recipe tastes good but it is not the best for you.....I do love throwing it in the crock pot.....I am thinking I will be using this one for the holidays!.....I am planning mixing the leftovers with some taco meat and black beans and gonna serve it as a dip with chips.....will let you know how it is.....so many leftover possibilities with this recipe....

Serves: 8-10

2 16oz bags Frozen Corn (I found a Sweet Yellow Corn)

1 8oz pkg Cream Cheese

1/2 C Butter

1-2 T Sugar

3 Slices of American Cheese (sounds weird, tastes really good)

1/4 C Whole Milk

Cayenne Pepper, to taste

Black Pepper, to taste

Throw everything into a Crock-Pot and cook on LOW for 3 hours, stirring every 30 min. The first two hours it looks like its never going to be done in 3 hours, but trust me it will be done. I wouldn't cook it on High as you wouldn't want the cheese or milk to scorch.

Grilled Marinated London Broil

This is a great marinade for a cheaper cut of meat. I mainly use it on Top Round for London Broil but also have used it on Tri-Tip Roasts, Flank Steak, Top Sirloin.....I suppose you could use it on any good marinating cut of meat......This is definitely one marinade that I always have everything for......Enjoy experimenting....I have a lot of 1-2's in my recipe cause I do not always measure exact for my marinades.....

5-6 Garlic Cloves, smashed & minced w/1 tsp salt

1/3 C Dry Red Wine

1/3 C Balsamic Vinegar

1-2 T Soy Sauce

1-2 tsp Honey

1/4 tsp Pepper

2 lbs of Top-Round Roast or other cut of Beef such as Tri-Tip Roast (Pic shown above).

Combine all ingredients and pour over meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to overnight. Grill to desired doneness, we like our beef Medium Rare.......and Enjoy!

Homemade Garlic Bread

I LOVE bread.....especially crunchy rustic breads. I grew up eating the store bought aluminum foil garlic bread, which isn't that bad but I find that is has a tendency to have too much butter and is never crispy enough for me.....So it was high time I made my own.....This was my first attempt and I loved it. I even saved the leftovers in the fridge and reheated in the oven the next day......Anyway this was big hit with all the family.....this could easily be used as a side dish to grilled food or an appetizer with marinara.......

Serves: 6

1/4 C Butter, softened

1-2 T Mayonnaise

3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

1/2 tsp Dried Basil

1/4-1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/3 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 loaf Rustic Bread or French Bread, halved lengthwise

Preheat oven broiler. In a medium bowl combine butter, mayonnaise, garlic, oregano, basil, and pepper. Spread mixture evenly between the two halves. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Broil for 5 min or until toasted to your liking. Slice and Serve.

Tomato Basil Marinated Shrimp

So my husband loves shrimp.....His favorite way to have it is Grilled and we use many different marinades.....Probably a favorite it Cilantro Lime Marinated Shrimp but we created this one with items from our pantry.....It turned out really good and we really enjoyed it. The girls even liked it.....and they can be picky eaters, but I must admit it was their first time having shrimp.....glad we will be able to eat it more often......Think grilled shrimp cocktail......

Serves: 6

4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Chili Sauce or Tomato sauce
2-3 T Red Wine Vinegar
2 T Fresh Basil, chopped
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 lbs Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Skewers (if using bamboo be sure to soak for 20 min or more)

In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, basil, cayenne pepper. Season with a little salt and black pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.

Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Gordon's Marinade

I got this recipe from Shawn's mom, its actually her best friend's husband's brother's recipe who's name is: you guessed it, Gordon.........We like it on chicken....you can marinate a bunch and then grill it off and use for tons of dishes.....I think the only thing I added was some ground pepper (Shawn loves pepper).....

1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/4 C Oil (I use Veggie or Canola)

2 T Light Molasses

2 tsp Ginger powder

2 tsp Dry Mustard

6 Cloves of Garlic, Smashed

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Mix all ingredients pour into plastic bag or container, add in 4-5 chicken breasts and marinate for at least 6 hours.

Colorful Chicken Pasta Salad

I love cold salads on hot summer days for dinner. This is an adaptation from Shawn's Moms Chicken Salad. I have changed the noodles from Soba or Chinese to Whole Grain. Partly because I can not find the Chinese noodles I normally use (Not a big Chinese selection down here in TX) and partly because its a good recipe to use whole grain noodles. Shawn even likes this salad as do the kids.....but the kids prefer it with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce instead of the Sesame dressing which is fine with me since I always have Teriyaki in the fridge (good way to get my kids to eat rice and such).......Anyway you can use your favorite marinated chicken, but I would recommend Gordon's Marinade, which I have on a separate post or a Teriyaki Marinade. I like to serve this salad with the dressing on the side, it makes for easy keep if there are leftovers plus it also allows a person to put as much or as little as they want.

Serves 6-8

4-5 Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts, sliced

1 lb Barilla Plus or Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti Noodles

1/2 Head of Cabbage, chopped

2 Bell Peppers (Red, Orange or Yellow), quartered & sliced

1 English Cucumber, quartered & sliced

1-2 Cans Mandarin Oranges (we use 2 cause the girls LOVE them)

Grape Tomatoes, whole

4 Green Onions, chopped

Toasted Sesame Seeds or Almonds, Garnish (optional)

Dressing-(this is the doubled recipe, you can 1/2 it)

4 oz Apple Juice

8 oz Rice Wine Vinegar

4 T Sesame Oil (can reduce and add a splash of chili oil if you want some heat)
4 T Soy Sauce

2 tsp Sugar

To make the dressing mix all ingredients in a container and shake vigorously until sugar is well mixed. Cook Pasta according to package and rinse under cold water. Let Drain. Layer salad in a large Pasta Serving Bowl, start with cabbage then layer the noodles on top, then top with veggies and chicken...Basically make it pretty (although my pic above is not my best work, oh well) Like I said before I like to serve the dressing on the side (we also do green onions on the side since Shawn does not like them)....avoids putting too much on or not enough, yadah, yadah.....

Fresh Tomato Bruschetta

I love tomatoes......I mean LOVE them.....I even have a few plants in the backyard growing like weeds....I can not wait to taste the fruit from them. Anyway, I also love bread and put them together and I am in La La Land......I developed this recipe when Shawn and I were living in Boston, grilling on our tiny tiny Weber BBQ, we were pretty new at using briquetts as they were always hotter when we were done cooking.....but I can proudly say we rock with briquetts these days.....We actually use the all natural hard wood ones.....they burn hotter and last longer and we like that they are natural.....Ok, so on with the recipe.....Easy, Simple and Good.....

Serves: 6 or more

1 Loaf Rustic Bread or Baguette, sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled & halved

4-5 Roma Tomatoes, diced

2-3 T Red Onion, finely diced

5-6 Fresh Basil Leaves, Chiffonade (rolled & cut in strips)

2-3 T Red Wine Vinegar, to taste (sometimes I use more & you could use Balsamic instead)

Splash Olive Oil (I just swirl a bit around the bowl)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Goat Cheese, optional (we love it, so we spread on before tomato)

In a bowl stir together tomatoes, onion, basil, vinegar, oil and salt & pepper, set aside. Rub Garlic on all break slices. Grill bread, turning once, until lightly toasted with grill marks. Platter up and serve with goat cheese and tomato topping....

Marinated Flank Steak

So if we are going to eat steak we usually eat Flank Steak because we all just love it but also because its affordable too. (New York Steaks will always be my favorite, but have you seen the prices lately, Ouch!) Flank to me is a marinating steak and this recipe is our favorite marinade for flank. We slice thin and use the steak in many meals from wraps to sandwiches to salads to you name it.....We actually just made this for Mother's Day, so good.....You can make it with out fresh herbs and it tastes just as good, but I will throw the fresh herbs in if I have them.....More flavor.....I have been known to use this same marinade with out the herbs for Shish-Kabobs....

Serves 4-6 (depends on who you have to dinner!)

1/2 C Vegetable or Canola oil
1/3 C Soy sauce

2 T Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar
1 T Dijon Mustard
3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 tsp ground black pepper

2-4 T Chopped Fresh Herbs, I usually have Basil or Parsley
1 1/2 pounds Flank Steak

In a medium bowl, mix the oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, ground black pepper and herbs. Place Steak in large plastic bag or glass pan and pour marinade over the meat. Seal the bag or cover the steak and marinate for 6-7 hours. (if you marinate in a shallow glass dish, be sure to flip the steak halfway through marinating)

Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Oil the grill grate. Place steak on the grill, and discard the marinade. Grill meat for 4-5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Let it rest for 5-7 minutes. Slice and serve......

Cilantro Lime Rice

I just love experimenting and after eating at a burrito shop down here that served Cilantro Lime Rice, I decided it was time that I try to make my own. I am sure I will make different variations of this recipe but I really liked what I created.....Very simple flavors, and sometimes simple is best.....I must admit I am not good at cooking rice on the stove.....I cook most of my rice in a rice cooker....I love my rice cooker because the rice always comes out perfect....This rice is a great with my Crazy 'K' Chops.....So good.....

Serves 6-8

8 C Hot Cooked Rice

1-2 T Lime flavored Olive Oil, or Plain Olive Oil (or Garlic)

1/3 C Cilantro, chopped

1/4-1/2 C Fresh Lime Juice

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Lime Wedges, Garnish

Once rice is done cooking, fluff and then add in Oil. Stir together, then add in Lime Juice and Cilantro. Toss all ingredients together and season with Salt and Pepper.....Serve with Lime Wedges.

Greek Tortellini Salad

As you know or don't know....I love salads....especially summertime ones. This one was a big hit with the family and the kids.....they love tortellini.....I added a little more dressing on my individual salad and we also topped ours with some vinegar marinated grilled chicken to make it a complete meal. So good, I didn't have grape or cherry tomatoes in the photo, but I would definitely add them in....This one has been added to the family rotation. Its versatile, the spinach can be swapped out with any favorite salad green, I know for me I would love it with arugula.......and the Greek Dressing is so good....I store it in the fridge and set it on the counter about and hour before I will need it....

Serves: 8

18-24 oz Fresh Cheese Tortellini

1 pound baby spinach leaves

6 eggs, hard boiled & quartered
1/4-1/2 cup slivered red onion

1 Can Medium Black Olives

1 C Grape Tomatoes

1/2-1 C Feta Cheese, Crumbled (you can use flavored if you want)

1 C+ Greek Dressing, recipe below

Marinated Grilled Chicken, optional

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add tortellini, and cook for 6-7 minutes or until al dente; drain. Place the cooked tortellini in the bowl, add in about 1 C of Greek Dressing, toss to coat. Cover, and chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Gently mix the spinach, feta cheese, olives, grape tomatoes and onion into the bowl with the pasta. Arrange the quartered eggs around the salad, garnish with extra tomatoes, olives, and feta if you like. Top with Grilled Chicken or any other grilled favorite....... Serve with extra salad dressing for those that want it.

Greek Salad Dressing: Yields about 2 cups

3/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1-1/2 tsp pepper
1-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp onion powder
1-1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1-1 1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar

In a large container or glass jar, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Pour in the vinegar, and mix vigorously until well blended.

Teryaki Chicken Salad

I grew up eating this salad, it was actually served at a restaurant where I grew up.....My brother took the idea of the salad and made it at home. Yes, my brother too is a good cook, so is his wife and so is my dad. We all love trying and creating new recipes....To this day this is still one of my favorite salads. My husband actually will eat this one too....He is not too big on lettuce or salad dressings......but loves chicken and teriyaki......

Serves 4-5

4-5 Chicken Breasts
1-2 heads of Romain or Leaf Lettuce (or a combo of both)
1 lg Can of Mandarin Oranges
1/2 C Slivered Almonds, toasted
Poppyseed Dressing, to your liking (I use store bought Briannas or Kraft)

Simple Teriyaki Sauce:
2 C Water
1 1/2 C Soy Sauce
1 1/2 C Sugar
1/2 T Garlic Powder
1 tsp Ginger, chopped (I have used ginger powder, just need to reduce amount)
2 T Sherry Wine

Whisk teriyaki sauce ingredients together in a small pot, boil gently to dissolve sugar and cook out the alcohol from the Sherry. When all sugar is dissolved sauce is ready. Use it for a marinade, stir fry, or as a sauce over rice.....endless possibilities.....I store in the fridge.

Marinate chicken for at least 6 hours or overnight. Grill chicken, seasoning with salt and pepper and brushing on a little extra teriyaki sauce, about 6-8 min a side, until no longer pink inside. Rest for a few min and then slice.

To assemble the salad. Gently toss lettuce, warm chicken, almonds, mandarins and poppy seed dressing (to taste) all together in a bowl. Serve immediately. You can do 1 big salad or you can toss individual bowls (which is what I do salad bar style).....That way if there is any left it can be served again....and not be all soggy!

Faux Refried Beans

I can be a simple girl. Sometimes I just want a bean and cheese burrito. Probably one of my favorite simple meals....I use to make them a lot in college, you know can of refried beans, some cheese, onions and hot sauce all wrapped up in a tortilla.....Well, I decided it was high time I try to make refried beans, but once I got looking there was just too much fat in some of the recipes and some just didn't sound good.....so I decided to try something different......These are awesome probably some of the best beans I have tasted.....I had found a similar recipe but it didn't look like it have enough flavor, so I added some other ingredients and stepped it up to something my kids, husband and I would like.....Who knew I would rely on the Crock Pot so much.....its just so easy....I am not sure if I will be buying canned refried beans anymore......I may just have to make these again, some homemade guacamole and homemade salsa to serve with chips for Cinco de Mayo......So good and so easy.....and I even think my mom would like these as they are not spicy! Feel free to spice up if you like!

Serves 12

3 C Dry Pinto Beans, Rinsed

1 Lg Sweet Onion, finely chopped

1 Jalapeno, seeded & chopped

5-6 Cloves of Garlic, minced

2-3 tsp Cumin

1-2 tsp Chile Powder

2-3 tsp Salt

1 1/2-2 tsp Black Pepper

9 C Water (Plus extra if they dry out, mine did not)

Throw all ingredients into a Crock Pot (slow cooker) and cook on High for about 8 hours. Stirring occasionally and re seasoning if necessary. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, reserving the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency, I think I added back about 3/4-1 cup of the bean cooking liquid.....You can make them as dry or as wet as you would like.....Serve w/ chips or in a burrito, or as a side dish.....If you plan on keeping them in a crock pot on low after mashing, I recommend keeping some of the cooking liquid in case the dry out a little bit.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I love vinegar.....Yes I do....I suppose I would be more of a North Carolina BBQ Girl (vinegar & pork) then a Texas BBQ, I know, I know I live in Texas, but I do love a good brisket......This recipe is one of my favorites for Pulled Pork Sandwiches....and the BBQ Sauce is a mustard-vinegar base one....I love it....The sauce can always be adjusted to specific likes and tastes.....You can roast a Pork Shoulder in the oven on 300 degrees for 6 hours or until if falls apart, instead of the crock pot, but I say throw it in the crock pot and forget about it.....I have also included a coleslaw recipe below to go with.....I like a little bit on my sandwich with some pickles and extra BBQ sauce.....Messy, Messy, Messy.....keep those moist towelettes or baby wipes handy!

Serves 12 or so

Rub:

3 T Paprika

1 T Garlic Powder

1 T Brown Sugar

1 T Dry Mustard

3 T Kosher or Sea Salt

1 tsp Ground Black Pepper

4-6 lbs of Boneless Pork (Carnita Meat) or Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast (Boston Butt)

Mix rub together in a small bowl. Rub spice blend all over the pork pieces or roast. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

Vinegar BBQ Sauce:

1 1/2 C Cider Vinegar

3/4 C Spicy Brown Mustard

1/4 C Yellow Mustard

1/2-3/4 C Ketchup (to taste)

1/3 C Brown Sugar, Packed

2-3 Cloves Garlic, smashed/chopped

1 tsp Kosher Salt

3/4-1 tsp Cayenne (Red Pepper)

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

12 Hamburger Buns, toasted or not

Cole Slaw (see below)
Pickle slices

Spray the inside of a crock pot with cooking spray, throw in the pork and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours until meat is tender and shreds when you fork it. Skim off some of the fat and then shred with a fork. Add in 1/2-1 cup of BBQ Sauce and heat on low for 15-20 minutes.

During the last half hour/hour of the pork cooking make the BBQ sauce. Combine cider vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper into a medium sauce pan. Simmer gently, while stirring for 10 or so minutes, until all the brown sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and let sit until you are ready.

To serve spoon pork on bottom half of bun, top with little more BBQ Sauce, pickles, and some slaw. Very messy but ohhh soooo good!

Cole Slaw:

1 Head of Cabbage, shredded

2 Carrots, shredded or grated

1/2 Red Onion or Sweet Onion, thinly sliced

2 Green Onions, chopped

1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1 1/4-1 1/2 C Mayonnaise

1/4 C Dijon Mustard

1-2 T Cider Vinegar

1 Lemon, Juiced

Pinch Sugar

2-3 Dashes of Hot Sauce

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Combine cabbage, carrots, onion, green onions, and jalapeno in a large bowl. In small bowl stir together mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss gently. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper. Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Marinated Grilled Chicken Legs

We don't eat a lot of chicken legs around here, but I will buy them on sale when I find a good deal and always easy to make for a crowd. This is probably my favorite ways to eat them marinated and grilled. This marinade could be used on any piece of chicken and I use it enough that I do not measure so that is what I have estimated some of the amounts below. Such a simple summertime dish that we usually serve with lemony couscous or any summer salad. The kids love these too, you know always fun to eat with your hands......

Serves 4

1 C Fresh Orange Juice

2 T Fresh Lemon Juice

4 tsp Soy Sauce

1 T Dry Sherry

1 1/2-2 tsp Garlic, minced

1 1/2-2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 1/2-2 tsp Basil Oil or Olive Oil (Garlic Oil would work too)

1 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Dark Sesame Oil

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Hot Sauce

8 Chicken Drumstick, skinned (or not)

Combine all the ingredients but the chicken in a large zip lock bag. Mix up and then add in the chicken, seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare Grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving the marinade. Place the reserved marinade in a small sauce pan cook over medium heat for 3-5 min. Place chicken on grill coated with cooking spray. Grill 30 min or until chicken is done, turning and basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

Puppy Chow

Ok, So I have had this unopened jar of Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter in my pantry for awhile, I think we traveled with it down here when we moved.....Well, I am an All-Natural Creamy Peanut Butter Gal......Yes, I keep my PB in the Fridge......it's what we all eat and we all like (including the kids)....and to me it taste way better then the keep-in-the-pantry PB, which, to me taste as though it has a ton of sugar in it........So I have been trying to figure out what to do with the one in my pantry that also contains the evil Partially-Hydrogenated Oil....Well, I decided what the heck I will cook with it.....So the one recipe that came to mind was something I grew up eating and I figured it was a good time to introduce this favorite of mine to my kids (in small amounts, of course)......and now it looks as if my girls too LOVE Puppy Chow......It's just all around goodness.....Beware, it is addicting....and next thing you know, it's all gone.....

Makes: A whole lot (But goes fast)

1/2 C Butter
1 C Creamy Peanut Butter
2 C Chocolate Chips
1 (17.5 ounce) package Crispix Cereal
1 lb (box) Confectioners' Sugar

Melt the peanut butter with the butter and chocolate chips. Place cereal in large bowl and pour the sauce over the cereal and toss until well coated.

Place the coated cereal in a large paper sack then add the confectioners' sugar, fold down the top of the bag and shake to coat.

Eat and Enjoy!!

Greek Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Well I do not know about you but when I am at Costco I usually tend to pick up a pack of Pork Tenderloins. Then I get them home and think, Huh, what the heck am I going to do with these.....I have a few good pork tenderloin recipes.....Some with mustard, some roasted, etc....but I was looking for something different with citrus and came upon a recipe similar recipe to the one below, it needed a little bit of improvement.....The whole family loved this one.....Serve over a bed of your favorite Couscous recipe w/some Feta, Olives, Artichoke Hearts, Red or Green Onions and Grape Tomatoes and Ta-Da a nice Greek Themed Dinner......Ahh, One of the many tastes of Summer!

Serves 4-5

1 C Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 C Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2-3/4 cup Olive Oil (I also used a bit of Lemon Oil/Lime Oil cause I had it)
6-8 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Tsp Salt
4 T Dried Oregano (I think fresh would be better but I didn't have any)
2 (1-1.5 pound) Pork Tenderloins

Salt & Pepper, to season while grilling

Mix lime juice, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and oregano in a bowl. Taste marinate, if you think it is too tart you can always add in more olive oil. Place tenderloins in a large plastic bag or bowl w/lid and pour marinate over the meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Lightly oil the grill grate, and discard marinade. Season tenderloins with Salt and Pepper. Grill tenderloins for 15 to 25 minutes, turning a few times, or grill until desired doneness. (the trick is to get it done while not overcooking!)

Serve sliced up on a bed of Couscous surrounded by lots of Greek veggies and topped with Feta Cheese.

Nana's Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

So growing up I use to love to spend the Christmas Holiday with my Mother's Family and one of the things I really loved about it besides being with all gazillion of my Cousins, Aunts and Uncles were my Aunt Ruth's Sugar Cookies. She would make every holiday cut out shape that you could think of....and she was an amazing cookie decorator.....anyway I thought I would never find a cookie recipe as good as hers but Shawn's Mom's recipe is equally good and maybe even better......and I just love them.....These are fun to make with kiddos.....my girls love cutting them out and sprinkling on the sugar.....and who knows maybe one day I take it to the next level with my decorating....for now some colored icing, colored sugar, and child's finishing touch will do.....Thanks Nana for such a good recipe.....

Makes 2 dozen (depends on size of cookie cutter)

1 C Butter, softened

1 8oz Package Cream Cheese, room temp

1 C Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Almond Extract

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 3/4 C Flour

Mix together softened butter and cream cheese. Blend in Sugar, Egg, Salt and Extracts. Mix in flour until well combined. Wrap dough in plastic and chill the dough for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After well chilled roll dough to 1/8th inch thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake about 7 min. Cool and decorate with your favorite icing....

Sugar Cookie Icing:

1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
3-4 tsp Milk
3 tsp Light Corn Syrup
1/4 tsp Almond Extract
Assorted Food Coloring

In a small bowl, stir together Confectioners' Sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.

Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush or small spatula.

Tasty Orange Rolls

I love a GOOD orange roll, since I am not huge into Cinnamon. I like them not to dry, no too sweet, not too Orangey, just plain good......One of the best ones I have had was at the Farmers Market in Moscow, ID. A local baker that has fruit, veggie and baked good stand made them perfectly.....Now these that I make are quite good and are a little lighter then most orange rolls.....and we just EAT them up......they are a little bit labor intensive....but I feel worth all the mixing, rising, punching, resting, rolling, rising again and cooking........They are quickly becoming a staple for Holiday Mornings at our house.......Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.....I like to serve them with something simple and little salty like Sausage Patties or Links......MMMmmmmm......

Makes 2 dozen

Dough:

1 Packet Dry Yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1/2 C Warm Water (100-110 degrees)

1 C Sugar, divided

1/2 C Reduced Fat Sour Cream

2 T Butter, softened

1 tsp Salt

1 Egg, slightly beaten

3 1/2 C Flour, divided

Cooking Spray

2 T Butter, Melted

2 T Grated Orange Rind (Zest of about two medium Oranges)

Glaze:

3/4 C Sugar

1/4 C Butter

2 T Fresh Orange Juice

1/2 C Reduced Fat Sour Cream

To make the dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl or mixer bowl with dough hook attached, let stand for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 C sugar, 1/2 C sour cream, 2 T softened butter, salt and egg. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Add 2 C of flour to the yeast mixture, stirring until soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 min. (I actually knead in mixer for 5 and then turn out and knead the rest by hand) Add enough of the remaining flour 1 T at a time while kneading to prevent dough from sticking to hands. The dough will still feel sticky but not stick to your hands. Place dough in a large bowl sprayed with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1hr 15 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Punch down dough, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide dough in two, work with 1 portion at a time, covering remaining portion with plastic so it doesn't dry out. Roll each portion of dough into a 12 inch circle on a floured surface. Brush the surface of each with 1 T of melted butter. Combine 3/4 C Sugar with Orange Zest. Sprinkle half of the sugar/zest mixture over each circle Cut each circle into 12 wedges, Roll up each wedge tightly starting at the wide end. Place rolls, point sides down in a 13 x 9 inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 25 min or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover dough and bake at 350 for 20-25 min or until golden brown.

While rolls are baking make the glaze. Combine 3/4 C sugar, 1/4 C butter and 2 T Orange Juice in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil over medium/medium-high heat. Cook 3 min or until all the sugar is dissolved while stirring very frequently. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in 1/2 C sour cream. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls and let stand 15 min before serving.

**Cover and Refrigerate any remaining rolls in the baking pan. To reheat cover with foil and bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 minute or until rolls are warm**

Yucatecan Citrus Grilled Pork

I suppose we will never get off of this Mexican Tex-Mex train we are on down here in SA. This recipe originated from the Yucatan and represents a simple side of Mexican cooking....I say make up a batch of Jerry's Famous Margaritas or crack open a good Mexican beer to enjoy while you are getting the charcoal ready....This dish is easy, good, and fresh.......Enjoy!

Serves 4-5

1 Med Sweet Onion, cut in thick slices for grilling
1 1/2 pound thin cut Pork Chops
1/4 C Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
1/2 C Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
3 C Cabbage, sliced thin
1/3 C Cilantro, chopped
2-3 Tomatoes, sliced
1-2 Avocados, sliced
Salt & Pepper
1 Lime, sliced for garnish
Hot sauce, to serve on side
Fresh Salsa, to serve on side
Warm Tortillas, to serve on the side

Stir Orange and Lime Juice together. Pour 1/4 C of the juice over the pork and let marinate for 15-20 min. Meanwhile, start charcoal grill. While coals are getting ready, prepare the rest of ingredients. Toss Cabbage and Cilantro with 1/4 C of the Lime/Orange juice, season with salt and pepper. Spread out onto a large serving platter. Decorate with slices of Tomato and Avocado, season those with a little salt/pepper too, set aside (or in the fridge). Once grill is ready, season and grill onion rings until roasted about 6-8 min. Remove, chop and toss with the remaining 1/4 cup of juice, set aside. Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper and grill 3 min per side, or until done. Lay meat on the platter of cabbage and top with grilled onions. Serve with warm tortillas, salsa and hot sauce....

Chicken Gorditas Tex-Mex Style

Ok, my love affair with Mexican and Tex Mex has caused me to love to eat and make Gorditas....My favorite place to get them is down in Historic Market Square from one of the street vendors.....Pretty hard to pass up a $3.00 meal!.....Goes perfectly with the beer you can drink while shopping there.....they keep it simple downtown, meat or beans, cheese, lettuce and Guacamole.....and of course hot sauce on the side......Well it inspired me to surf through some of my Mexican Cookbooks to find a traditional gordita recipe.....The filling I made up on my own and still may need some tweaking.....but for a first run at it.....it turned out pretty good....I am posting it so I won't forget what I did.....We have had these twice now and I just love them.....the corn taste is so good....I Love "Little Fat Ones".....

Chicken Filling: Makes enough for a few meals

2 lbs of Boneless Chicken Meat (I used a combo of Thighs and Breasts)

1 14.5 oz can of Diced Tomatoes w/Zesty Jalapenos

1 Sweet Onion, Finely Chopped

1 Jalapeno, Finely Chopped

2-3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
Juice of 1 Lime

1-2 tsp Cumin

1-2 tsp Chile Powder

1/4-1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

Salt & Pepper

Put all ingredients into a crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Chicken is ready when it easily shreds and falls apart. Once ready shred meat in crock pot. It will be juicy, so use tongs to serve in gorditas, tacos, enchiladas or burritos.

GORDITAS: Makes 10 small/med pockets

1 3/4 C Masa Harina (Instant Corn Masa Flour)

1 C + 2 T Warm Water

1/3 C All Purpose Flour

1 scant teaspoon Baking Powder

3/4 tsp Salt

Garnishes

Cheese

Cilantro, chopped

Lettuce/Cabbage, mixed or your favorite

Guacamole

Hot Sauce or Salsa

Lime Wedges

Making the Dough

Mix masa with the warm water. Knead the masa to make it soft cookie dough consistency, adding more water if needed. (I usually add 1-2 tablespoons more) Knead in flour, baking powder, and salt. Divide dough into 10 portions and roll into balls. Cover with plastic to keep moist and to keep from drying out.

Heat a non stick oil rubbed griddle or pan over medium heat.

The next step is flattening out. If you have a tortilla press (I do not) it works best because it gives the most even disks, be sure to line with plastic on both sides. Gently Press a ball of dough to 4 inch diameter and it should be about 1/4 inch thick. If you do not have a tortilla press here is another easy way to do it. Place a piece of plastic (plastic wrap or plastic cut from a plastic storage bad) on the counter. Wrap a flat bottom dinner plate with plastic, place 1 ball of dough on the plastic wrap and place wrapped dinner plate on top of dough ball. Gently and evenly press ball flat to about 4 inch diameter and 1/4 inch thick. My dinner plates actually have a 1/4 inch lip and 5 inch diameter on the bottom so it works perfectly. Place flattened gordita on griddle and cook for 1 1/2 min and then flip and cook another 1 1/2 min. The gordita will be lightly browned but still uncooked. Remove to a plate and continue pressing and griddle cooking the remaining gorditas. Finished product should look like this:

Finishing the Gorditas

In a deep heavy skillet or saucepan, heat 1/2 inch oil over medium to medium high heat until oil is hot enough to make the edge of a gordita sizzle sharply (about 350 degrees). One by one fry gorditas turning them after 15 seconds nicely crisp but not hard. The total fry time should not be longer then 45 seconds. When they are ready most will have puffed up a little like pita bread. Drain on paper towels.

Once they are all fried use a small knife to cut a slit in the edge of each one about halfway around its circumference, making a pocket. Fill with about 1/4 cup of chicken and garnish with your favorites.

Sausage, Potato and Roasted Pepper Soup

I have really been trying to eat more soup.......its hard to make in our house with a picky husband that doesn't like a ton of really good veggies.....but we make it work by cutting them really small....anyway this soup was one that Nana and I made in Pullman......and it turned out great.....I added a bit more stock in this one to make more and it turned out just as good.....Its pretty freaking good soup.....and best with warm ciabatta bread slices or any good crusty bread.......to dip in it.....

Makes 8 servings

1 lb Hot Sausage (Jimmy Dean)

3 T Butter
1 T Olive Oil
1 Small Sweet Onion, diced
1/2-3/4 C Carrots, diced
1/2-3/4 C Celery, diced
3-4 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 T Flour

4 C Veggie Broth

4 C Chicken Broth

5 Med Red Potatoes

1 1/2 C Half & Half

1 6oz-8oz jar Roasted Red Peppers, drained & chopped

2 tsp Fresh Thyme
2 C Arugula, chopped

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Crusty Bread, optional

Fry Sausage in a stock pot over medium heat. Once browned and cooked through, drain in strainer. Wipe out some of the grease in the pan and return to heat. Over medium heat melt butter and then add in olive oil. Saute onions, carrots and celery for about 5-6 min until the onion is lightly browned season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic, and continue to cook 1 min. Mix in the flour. Wisk in the broth and bring to a boil. Add back the sausage to the pot and add in the potatoes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 min or until potatoes are tender. Stir in the half & half, roasted peppers, arugula and thyme. Reseason with salt and pepper. Continue cooking on low until heated through about 5-8 min. Serve with crusty bread.

Capt-n-Crunch Chicken w/ Creole Mustard Sauce

I just love this recipe.....it is definitely one of my favorite not so great for you snacks...basically because it is fried. I suppose you could bake it but its so quick to fry up. Anyway if anyone has eaten or use to eat at Planet Hollywood (most seemed to be closed these days) this recipe is very similar to their Captain Crunch appetizer.....I first made this for the Twins 2nd birthday and it has been a hit every since.....both girls love it....one of our family favorites for Snack Saturday's......

9/22/08: Ok, so I am updating this, I just took chicken tenders, breaded them and cooked them in the oven @ 425 degrees for 12-13 min, or until done. They turned out great, the only change from the recipe below is I added a little bit of salt to the flour breading. I will tell you they are not as crispy but still really good. I will probably use this way in the future as we are trying to cut down on the frying.....Plus the girls really like the strips...I think Kiara ate 3-4 tenders....I have included a pic of the baked ones...

Serves: 6

4 C Captain Crunch Cereal

3 C Corn Flakes

1 Egg

1 C Milk

1 C Flour

1 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Pepper (Lil Salt if baking in oven)

6 Chicken Breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces

Vegetable Oil, for frying

Coarsely grind or crush the two cereals together and set aside. Beat the egg with milk and set aside. Stir together flour, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Dip cut up chicken pieces into the seasoned flour. Coat well and the shake off excess flour. Dip into egg mixture, coating well and then dip into the cereal mixture coating well. Heat oil in a large heavy pan (or deep fryer) to 325 degrees. Drop coated chicken pieces into the oil and cook until golden brown and fully cooked, 3-5 min depending on size. Drain on paper towels (I season with a little salt) and serve with Creole Mustard Sauce.

Creole Mustard Sauce :

1 C Mayonnaise

1/4 C Natural Stone Ground Mustard (Whole Mustard)

1 T Yellow Mustard or Spicy Brown Mustard

1 T Horseradish

1/2 tsp Cider Vinegar

1 Dash Worcestershire

1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar

1 tsp Water

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (can use less if you want)

1/2 tsp Salt

1 T Green Onions, thinly sliced

1 T Crushed Garlic Packed in oil (or you can mince fresh with a dab of oil and salt)

1 tsp Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp Celery, finely chopped

1 tsp Onion, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. I like to chill mustard sauce about 2 hours before serving.

Simple Chicken Tortilla Soup

I am always trying to come up with new, simple and fresh soups for a quick meal night. This one is really easy and what makes it fresh are all the garnishes....I love just fresh ingredients....this soup is a good way to use up some leftover roasted chicken or if you don't have any chicken, I didn't....you can always roast or poach some seasoned chicken breasts, shred and add....this soup was a hit last night......

Makes: 4 Servings

2 T Olive Oil (I used a little bit of Garlic Oil & Lime Oil, cause I had them)
1 1/2-2 Sweet Onions, finely diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 Serrano chili, seeded and minced
1 14.5 oz can of Petite diced Mexican Tomatoes (Green Chiles, Jalapenos, Cilantro, Lime)
1 1/2-2 C Shredded Chicken
1 Quart Chicken Stock or Broth
Salt & Pepper
Canola Oil, for pan frying
8 Corn Tortillas, cut into strips about 1/8-1/4 in thick

Garnishes:
1/4 head of Cabbage, shredded
1-2 Avocados, diced
Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
Cilantro, chopped
Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
Green Onions, chopped
Tapatio Hot Sauce
1 Lime, cut into wedges for squirting into soup
Tortilla Strips (ones you just made or if you dont feel like making you can use store bought)

Place a stock pot over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. Add in the onions, garlic, jalapenos and serrano chili, cook until softened about 10 min. Add in can of tomatoes and cook for another 5-10 min. Add in chicken and season with salt and pepper. Add in chicken stock, check seasoning and then simmer for 20 min.

Meanwhile, heat 1 inch of canola oil over medium high heat. When oil begins to smoke add some of the tortilla strips and fry in batches until they are crisp on all sides. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt while they are still hot.

To Serve....If you like cabbage, I recommend putting it first in the bottom of the bowl. Then ladle soup and top with your favorite garnishes, fresh lime juice and hot sauce....

Best Bran Muffins

I am not a muffin eater I usually prefer croissants, breads, brownies, and sconces......but there are two muffin recipes that I absolutely love, these bran muffins and blueberry corn muffins (recipe to be posted at later date).....These bran muffins are the best.....the are so good and moist......not too sweet....and just all around are yummy......this recipe makes about 2 dozen....it is an easy recipe to double.....which is nice since you can leave the batter in the fridge for a few weeks and bake as many as needed at a time.....

Makes: About 2 dozen

1 C Boiling Water

2 C Kellogg's All Bran

1 C General Mills Fiber One Bran

2 C Buttermilk

1/2 C Shortening

1 1/2 C Sugar

2 Eggs

2 1/2 C Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

Mix the two cereals in a bowl and pour the boiling water over the top. Stir in the buttermilk and set aside. In a large bowl cream together shortening and sugar, add eggs one at a time until well combined. Add cooled cereal to the sugar mixture and stir. Stir in flour, soda and salt until dampened. Do not over stir. Bake as many as desired @ 375 Degrees for 15 min. Spread with butter if you desire and Enjoy!

Naples Style Lasagna

I grew up with this basic recipe and over the years of making it I have found this version to be my favorite....I am a crazy cook and I like all my red sauces to taste different.....my spaghetti sauce can not taste like my marinara and my lasagna sauce can not taste like my spaghetti sauce.....on so on....The sauce for this is really simple and that's probably why I like it.....quick and easy....I also like using a combo of cottage cheese and ricotta...you could use one or the other.......its also best to make a day ahead and let set up in the fridge too....I only do that when I have time....can also freeze to eat at a later date too.....anyway this is becoming one of Mikiah's favorite dishes....she loves it.....Enjoy!

Makes: 9x13

1 lb Ground Beef

1 lb Italian Sausage

1 Med Onion, finely chopped

1-1 1/2 C Mushrooms, quartered

Salt & Pepper

3-4 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1/2-3/4 C Dry Red Wine

1 10.75 oz can of Tomato Puree

1 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes, Italian Style or Plain

1 Bay Leaf

1-2 tsp dried Basil

1/2-1 tsp of Italian Seasonings

1/2 box or 10 Lasagna Noodles

3 beaten eggs

1 1/2 C Ricotta

1 1/2 C Cottage Cheese

3/4 C Grated Parmesan

1/4 C Italian Parsley, chopped

8oz-16oz Fresh Mozzarella, sliced use as much or as little as you want (I buy a two pack of fresh Mozzarella at Costco and use one of them, but I have seen them in grocery stores and you can use regular mozzarella too, we just prefer fresh)

Cook Noodles in salted boiling water for 8 min and drain well.

For Sauce:

In a pot add beef, sausage, onions and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook until meat is browned. Drain off fat, return to heat and add in the garlic cook for 1-2 min. Add in the wine and stir. Then add in crushed tomatoes/puree, bay leaf, basil, and Italian seasoning. Re season with salt and pepper. Simmer until thick stirring occasionally, I usually let it simmer for 40 min or so. Discard bay leaf.

For Filling:

Combine beaten eggs, ricotta, cottage cheese, Parmesan and fresh parsley.

Arrange 1/2 the lasagna noodles in the bottom of a greased (I just spray with non stick spray) 13x9x2. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture, 1/2 of the meat sauce, and 1/2 of the mozzarella. Repeat with noodles, then the rest of ricotta mixture and the rest of the meat sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for about 45min to 1 hour until hot and bubbly. Uncover and add the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for another 15 min or until lasagna is hot through and cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 min before serving. Serve with bread and extra Parm cheese if you like....

Chicken and Balsamic Cream Sauce

So when I create I never quite know what something will taste like....its pretty much a crap shoot....last night I made this dish and I must say it turned out pretty good.....I definitely have some fine tuning to do to make it even better but I think it is worth posting for all you to try, edit and create.......that is if you like balsamic vinegar.....you can leave out the goat cheese if you don't like it, but I tell you that combined with the sauce was my favorite part and could never leave it out....but I LOVE goat cheese.....crap I love most cheese.....its definitely one of my guilty pleasures....besides chocolate.....So edit away and enjoy this twist on a old time chicken and noodles....or rice....

Makes 6 servings

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Salt & Pepper

1-2 T Olive Oil

2-3 Shallots, finely chopped

3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

2 T Flour

2-3 T Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp Thyme (I used fresh cause I had it)

2 C Chicken Stock

1-1 1/2 C Half & Half

1/4 C Italian Parsley, finely chopped

1 lb Orzo, cooked according to package (You could use rice too)

1-2 Bunches of Broccoli, steamed

Plain Goat Cheese, topping

Splash Balsamic Vinegar, topping (optional)

In a large skillet heat olive oil over med high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper add to heated pan. Cook chicken 5-6 min per side and then remove and cover with foil. Turn down the heat to med, and add Shallots, Garlic and Thyme. Cook for 2-3 min. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 2 min. Whisk in the Chicken Stock, Balsamic Vinegar and Half and Half. Turn up the heat a little bit and simmer for 3-4 min or until thickened. Slice up the chicken and add it back to the pan, then add in the Parsley. Heat for 1-2 more min until hot.

To serve: Place some orzo in a bowl, top with Chicken Cream Sauce, Goat Cheese and a splash of Balsamic vinegar along side some steamed broccoli. Enjoy....

Italian Pesto Pasta

So this is one of those meals that I usually have everything for and it is easy to whip together....We love it with sliced Italian Sausage links, but I will use whatever I have from cooked Chicken to Flavored Smoked Sausage to Salami......This is probably one of Mikiah's favorite meals....whenever I ask her what she wants for dinner she usually replies with "Pesto Pasta"......You can use any semi soft or soft cheese that you like.....I just so happened to have some Farmers Cheese which worked great.....Havarti also works great as well as those flavored spreadable cheeses....add more veggies if you like.....Peppers would be a good add in.........Oh and I love Trader Joe's pesto....which is a major bummer about living in San Antonio....No Trader Joe's down here.....Totally miss that store.....

Makes 4-6 servings

1 pkg Italian Sausage Links (Sweet or Hot)

2 C Cream

1/4-1/3 C Prepared Pesto

3 oz Cream Cheese

8 0z (1 C) Farmers Cheese (or any other Semi Soft/Soft Cheese)

Pepper, to taste

2-3 C Fresh Broccoli, cut into florets

1 Lg Can Medium Olives (you can slice, I don't so Shawn can pick them out)

1 lb Pasta (we use Mini Penne or Bow Tie, easier for the twins to eat)

1/2 C Parmesan Cheese or Parm Cheese Blend, garnish on top

Fry up the sausage links until done all the way through. Remove from heat and slice.

Boil a pot of water. Add in a some salt and then the noodles. Cook according to package, except in the last 2-4 min (depending on how done you want your broccoli) add in the broccoli to the pot. Drain and dump back into the stock pot and then add the olives on top.

While noodles are cooking. Start the sauce. Pour the cream into a sauce pan or deep skillet. Heat over med low/med heat for 5-8 min until hot through. Stir in pesto and heat another 1-3 min to bring back to hot. Stir in cream cheese once combined add in the semi soft cheese and stir until melted and well combined. Then add the sausage to the pan and season with pepper, keep over med low/med heat and bring sauce to back to hot and slightly thickened around 5 min or so. Pour sauce over the noodles/broccoli/olives and stir to combine, serve out of the pot or dump into a pasta bowl.....Top with Parmesan Cheese and Enjoy.....

Party Flank Sandwiches

We love sandwiches in this house....from Panini's, to toasted cheese, to oven baked....you name them we eat them...here is a twist on a steak sandwich........you can cook it all up and put it in 1 giant loaf of Rustic Bread and slice or you can buy demi loafs and serve the sandwich individually....I usually make 1 big loaf but since I was at Costco I actually picked up some rustic bread that were individual size which it the picture you will see.........I just love crusty rustic bread sandwiches.....

Makes: 1 Large Sandwich or 4-5 Individual Ones

1.5 lbs Flank Steak

Favorite Steak Seasoning

1-2 T Olive Oil (I use garlic flavored)

1 Large Sweet Onion, thinly slices

Salt & Pepper

1 Bell Pepper, thinly sliced (Red, Orange, or Yellow....what ever looks the freshest)

3-4 cloves garlic

1 T Dijon Mustard

1 tsp Hot Sauce

1 1/2 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 T Flour

1 C Beef Stock or broth

1 Lg Loaf Rustic Crusty Bread (or small individual loafs)

10-12 Slices Provolone Cheese

Prepare bread: Slice bread in 1/2 lengthwise, scoop out some of the middle on the top side or both if you like. Toast loaf at 375 degrees for 5-7 min. Set aside.

Season Steak with steak seasoning and Grill for 5-6 min per side for med-rare, cook longer if you want it cooked more. Pull off and let rest.

While steak is cooking, heat olive oil in a pan over med heat add onions, salt & pepper. Cook for 7 min add in garlic, peppers, mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Cook for another 4-5 min, add in flour stir and cook for 1 min. Add Beef stock and simmer until nice and thick. After Steak has rested slice and add to pepper/onion mixture and stir well.

Layer cheese on both sides of the bread and scoop meat mixture on to the cheese and close sandwich. Cook in oven @ 375 until cheese melts about 5-7 min. Slice into wedges & serve....

Warm Winter Soup

I love trying new recipes.....and I have been wanting to do a blended soup, that way Shawn will eat it....My lovely picky eater husband (Love Ya Babe).......I have been wanting some sort of squash or pumpkin soup and this recipe fit the bill for me....it was very good and very tasty with very few ingredients....feel free to spice it up if you like.....the great part is it is a fairly light recipe since you use potatoes and half and half to thicken it up instead of heavy cream....Serve with bread toasts covered in your favorite cheese.....we had Swiss Cheese Toasts and they were so good dipped in this warm comforting soup....

Makes: 8 Cups of Soup

2 T Butter

5 C Butternut Squash, peeled & chopped in 1/2 in cubes (about 2 small ones/1.5 lbs)

2 C Russet Potatoes, peeled & chopped in 1/2 in cubes (about 2-3 small potatoes)

1 tsp Salt (I use Kosher)

1/2-1 tsp Ground Pepper

2 C Leeks, chopped (about 2 medium ones)

4 C Chicken Stock or Broth

1 C Half & Half

3-4 T Fresh Chives, chopped for garnish

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium high heat. Add squash, potato, salt & pepper and cook 3-4 minutes. Add in leek and and cook 1-2 more minutes. Stir in broth and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Then place 1/2 the soup mixture into a blender (remove center of blender lid to let steam out) place lid on blender and cover the center hole with a clean towel to avoid splatters. Blend soup until smooth, pour into a bowl or large measuring cup, repeat with second half of mixture and then return all soup back to stock pot. Stir in half & half. Cover and keep warm over very low heat. Serve with chives, black pepper and Cheese Toasted Baguette slices....